


Happy Birthday, Boss

by STARSdidathing



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Birthday Presents, Developing Relationship, Feelings Realization, Feels, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Friday is a good bro, Getting Together, Happy, Loki & Tony Stark Friendship, M/M, Pining, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2020-01-01 00:38:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18325172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARSdidathing/pseuds/STARSdidathing
Summary: It's Tony's birthday and FRIDAY gives her boss a very precious gift.





	Happy Birthday, Boss

**Author's Note:**

  * For [paintpuddles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintpuddles/gifts).



> Heeeeey so I was supposed to post this yesterday but I'm in the middle of Camp NaNo and a competitive writing sprint with **NamelesslyNightlock** and **Rabentochter** so I've been a bit busy and kind of letting AO3 slide. I'M SORRY! But I am writing more fic! So it's all well that ends well.
> 
> Just erm, comment replies might be a bit delayed, and maybe not as many fic updates for a little bit. But more will come!!
> 
> BUT ANYWAY.
> 
> II'M STILL NOT TAKING PROMPTS. But this happened and I received this from **paintpuddles** and here we are:
> 
>  
> 
> _I would luuuurve for it to be Tony’s birthday (or some other gift-giving event idk) and everyone gets Tony a gift (I’m sure Loki gets/makes something awesome) and for the first time ever, FRIDAY has a gift for Tony but she’s all shy and awkward about it (I love FRIDAY she is underappreciated and fabulous) and obviously she’s an AI so her gift is digital..._
> 
>  
> 
> And there's more to the prompt but that would give away the premise, so I'll leave you to read and find out. Enjoy!

It was Tony’s birthday, and unlike in the past when only Rhodey and Pepper would celebrate it with him, now, he had a half dozen people to share the day with: Bruce was making him a cake, Thor was helping Rhodey arrange the party. Pepper was at SI but would be coming by later in the afternoon.

And then, there was Loki, who was in charge of keeping Tony from peeking at his presents or going down to the room that was housing the celebration.

Loki was taking his job very seriously. He was also impossible to escape from, but Tony found it more amusing than annoying. He loved spending time with Loki. He also _loved_ matching wits with the Trickster God.

It didn’t matter when he inevitably lost; getting caught was half the fun.

Tony spent three hours trying to dodge Loki. Although, half of that was actually spent talking and bantering with Loki. Loki put him in “prison” for a half hour after he caught Tony. It was a ridiculous magical playpen with green bars. Loki would always be smirking on a nearby couch while Tony flipped him off, a smile still on his lips.

When the party was _finally_ ready, Tony was bouncing on his heels as he and Loki made their way into the elevator and down to the floor. When the doors opened, there was a shouted “surprise” with party poppers, confetti and everyone wearing party hats.

It was _perfect_. He even managed to get Loki to wear a green party hat. 

It was, without doubt, the best party, _ever_.

Tony was sad when it ended and they all departed for their various rooms in the tower. He’d gained a gift from everyone: an impressive and heavy Asgardian ornamental sword from Thor, a book of Science Puns & Jokes from Bruce, Iron Man socks from Rhodey, three vintage band shirts, and one cat shirt from Pepper and a book on Elven metal work from Loki.

He was on a cloud, and he felt too excited to sleep. He took Loki’s book to the lab, planning to see what he could experiment with, but the moment he stepped inside, FRIDAY asked, sounding unusually hesitant, “Boss?”

“Yeah, Fri?”

“It is not within standard protocol, but may I wish you a Happy Birthday as well?”

Tony blinked, feeling something warm erupt in his chest. He smiled at the nearest camera. “Thanks, FRIDAY.”

“Boss…” she trailed off, sounding unusually shy. “The standard practice for a birthday… involves a gift…”

Tony’s grin grew even wider. “Did you get me something?” He looked around eagerly. “Where is it?”

A projection flashed to life and Tony immediately stepped over to it. There was a file titled ‘ _Boss, Happy Birthday_ ’. Tony clicked on it and the file opened, projecting text:

‘ _Anthony Stark deserves to be happy on his Birthday, and every other day._

_So does Mr Liesmith.’_

Tony frowned, feeling confused, but a moment later, the text was disappearing and, in its place, were a thousand captured images, and even a few recordings of him and Loki together. They were smiling, laughing and leaning against one another.

There was even a video of Tony sleeping in the lab and Loki appearing via teleport to gently pick him up and take him to bed, tucking him with greatest care under the sheets.

Tony remembered half of the moments projected, but others he didn’t even realise, let alone _know_ about. Loki was watching out for him, _caring_ for him, and sometimes, Tony didn’t even notice he was doing the same; making a cup of tea when Loki looked tired, putting a blanket over Loki when his magic was drained from a fight and he fell asleep on the penthouse couch. He didn’t notice how they _looked_ at each other, not until it was right in front of his face.

Affection, warmth, _love_.

They looked at each other like the other man was their world.

Tony swallowed, watching each moment with a growing ache in his chest. The final video was when they’d been watching a movie together and Tony had fallen asleep with his head on Loki’s shoulder. Loki looked down at him with longing and love. He ran his fingers through Tony’s hair and brushed a soft kiss to the top of his head.

Loki had worked things out a long time ago.

When the images stopped playing, they ended on a picture of the two of them together in the lab. Tony remembered it clearly. They’d just had a successful experiment and Tony had thrown himself at Loki in a hug. The mage had caught him and they’d both held each other so tightly; Tony’s face pressed into Loki’s shirt and Loki looking down at him like the most precious object in the universe.

Tony lifted his hand, his fingers raised to touch Loki’s face, even knowing it was an image and not a solid object.

“Mr Liesmith is awake in his room, Boss,” FRIDAY told him softly.

Tony jerked his hand away and gave a small nod. He put the metalwork text on his desk before heading to the elevator. FRIDAY knew exactly where to take him, and he soon arrived on Loki’s floor.

He hesitated for a moment outside the door before raising his hand and knocking. It took only a few moments for Loki to pull it open. He was surprised, but mostly he was pleased.

“Anthony? Did you need something?” Amusement flashed in his eyes. “Do you wish to continue celebrating the day of your birth?”

It was a stab at his ego, a deliberate remark meant to make Tony banter with him, but Tony didn’t, he just kept looking at Loki: so handsome, intelligent, funny and _perfect_. They understood each other so well and fit together like two perfect halves.

“Anthony?” Loki questioned, a small frown of concern forming at the silence.

“I, um, I worked out there was something I wanted for my birthday, but I didn’t get it.”

Loki’s brows furrowed. “Oh? What was that?”

Tony’s heart was pounding. He knew Loki cared about him, he _knew_ this wasn’t going to blow up in his face, but it still felt terrifying to lay his heart down on the line.

“A kiss,” he said, holding Loki’s eyes, “from the guy I want.”

Loki sucked in a sharp, shocked breath. “Anthony.”

His voice sounded incredulous and almost timid; something Tony would never have imagined Loki could be.

“Any chance, I could um, get one?” Tony asked, his own voice soft and unsure.

They were on the precipice of something, and Tony was both excited and nervous to take the final leap.

It took a long moment where Loki searched Tony's face, as if fearful of discovering a lie or a joke, but when he realised the truth, he instantly moved forward and cupped Tony’s cheek. Tony curled into the touch and Loki finally smiled.

“Oh, Anthony,” he whispered, soft delight in his eyes. “You can have as many as you like.”

Tony smiled, but any response he could have made was stolen by Loki’s lips capturing his own. Tony sighed and wrapped his arms around Loki’s neck, drawing the mage even closer. He could feel Loki grin. He could also feel the mage’s happiness, it was obvious in every brush of lips and reverent touch of his hands.

It made Tony’s chest feel full enough to burst. He had thought his birthday was perfect before, but now? He knew how wrong he’d been.

He couldn’t imagine a time he’d been happier than standing right here, wrapped in Loki’s arms.

It was without a doubt, and with no question, the best birthday and the best _gift_ Tony could ever have received.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope everyone liked! Especially you, paintpuddles :)
> 
> And thank you so **Rabentochter** for helping me with Bruce, Pepper and Thor’s gifts when I had a massive idea blank/didn’t like some of my ideas. Ironically, she thought the same things as me for Pepper and Thor anyway XD.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [all the pieces of you](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18126809) by [paintpuddles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintpuddles/pseuds/paintpuddles)




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